An Introduction

The city is situated in the Agra district of Uttar Pradesh and was formerly called ‘Vijaypur Sikri’ during the Sikarwar Rajput clan. The town of Fatehpur Sikri stands on a rocky ridge and consists of many monuments which were constructed by Akbar and hence, depicts the combination of different regional art schools. The architects who designed the fort were Hindu and the Hindu arts have domination here over the Mughal architecture. Fatehpur Sikri is situated close to Agra and falls in the route of the Golden Triangle of India and hence is visited by many throughout the year.

History of Fatehpur Sikri

On the advice of the Sufi Saint Salim Chishti, the Mughal Emperor Akbar shifted his capital from Agra to Fatehpur Sikhri but that was just for 15 years when scarcity of water in the area due to decreased level water in Anup Talao led Akbar the Mughal Emperor shift his capital back to Agra. Akbar commenced the construction of Fatehpur Sikri Fort in 1571 which stands tall with several marvelous constructions in its complex.

Tourist Attractions in Fatehpur Sikri

Fatehpur Sikri Fort

The prominent tourist attraction of Fatehpur Sikri is the Fatehpur Sikri Fort which is declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The fort however has several remarkable constructions which show the talent of the architects of that time. The most featured constructions of the fort are-

Buland Darwaza

Buland Darwaza which stands 180 ft tall was built five years after the construction of the Jama Masjid was completed. The Buland Darwaza was constructed as a ‘victory arch’ after the successful Gujarat campaign of Akbar. The red sandstone gate is visible from a long distance and is one of the main attractions of the fort.

Jumma/ Jama Masjid

Jama Masjid is the huge mosque which was the first building to be made in the Fatehpur Sikri Fort complex. The Mosque has a huge courtyard with a grand entrance called the Buland Darwaza.

Panch Mahal

The five storied palace is an architectural marvel in itself. The palace has arched pillars which reduce in number as the floor advances. Some believe that it was the palace of Akbar’s favorite Queen Ruqaiyya Begum.

Tomb of Salim Chishti

The Tomb of Salim Chishti facing the Buland Darwaza was built during 1580 and 1581, the mausoleum of the Sufi saint Salim Chishti who was the descendent of Khwaza Moinuddin Chishti of Ajmer was built by Akbar in his respect as he was the one who foretold Akbar about the birth of his son and Akbar had great faith in him.

Languages Spoken in Fatehpur Sikri

The languages spoken in Fatehpur Sikri are Hindi, Urdu and English.

Cuisines of Fatehpur Sikri

The city has a lot of finger licking Mughal dishes to offer to the food enthusiasts. Delicacies like Chicken Biryani, Kebab, Korma, Reshmi Kebab, Tunde Kebab, Saalan, Pasinde, Haleem and Dal Gosht. Coming to the sweet delicacies the Ghevar and Gujiya are especially tasty in Fatehpur.

Famous Festivals in Fatehpur Sikri

The citizens of Fatehpur Sikri celebrate all the festivals but the city has its own charm when it celebrates Eid-ul-Fitar, Muharram, Eid-ul-Adha, Urs and the Sheetla Fair.

Climate in Fatehpur Sikri

Although the city is in Uttar Pradesh State which generally has good amount of rainfall during monsoons, Fatehpur does not have much rainfall and the climate here can be referred as local steppe climate. To plan a visit to Fatehpur, the best time is from October to February.